Battery packs for portable devices such as two-way radios typically comprise a number of cells having contacts welded together all within a housing. The individual cells are interconnected using sheet metal tabs which are spot welded to the cell terminals. Usually, the interconnected cells are then spot welded to a flex circuit and subsequently inserted into a battery housing. This method of manufacture is wrought with inefficient assembly procedures and unnecessary parts and labor resulting in excessive manufacturing expense and compromised reliability.
Consumer loaded batteries for consumer electronics such as cameras, radios, CD players, etc., typically have spring loaded contacts on one end and metal contacts coupled to the opposite end of the primary cells. Consumer loaded battery packs do not require the extra circuitry typically found in battery packs. Battery packs for portable radios will usually include resistors, thermistors, diodes and other components that enable the battery packs to be rechargeable and/or intrinsically safe. Thus, consumer loaded battery compartments may only have stamped metal on the housing and electrical loss between battery cells and circuitry is of little concern in these applications.
Other battery packs, which are either consumer loaded or loaded and sealed by the manufacturer typically comprise a number of cells that are shrink wrapped together or packaged in a plastic housing. Again, many of these cells are typically coupled together electronically by welding steel tabs to unlike terminals (positive and negative) on separate cells. Subsequently, the welded cells are shrink wrapped together and inserted into a housing. Again, this assembly procedure is inefficient, resulting in excessive labor and manufacturing costs.
The drive to reduce weight in electronic consumer products is now impacting battery pack assembly as much as the drive to increase the ease of assembly or manufacturability of battery packs. Therefore, the ability to integrate features in less components and parts is critical in reducing the number of assembling steps. Therefore, a need exists for a battery pack that provides the convenience of consumer loaded battery packs, provides for a reduction in weight, and allows for greater efficiency and reduced cost in assembly and manufacture.